The Worship Keys Podcast

Watch on YouTube Come hang out with Carson Bruce on the Worship Keys YouTube channel as he chats with Micah Weber, a passionate volunteer keys player from Red Rocks Church. Micah opens up about his move from Oklahoma to Colorado, why worship leaders matter, and what it means to serve as a volunteer in worship ministry. You’ll hear practical tips on keeping a servant’s heart, how the Nashville Numb...

Join Spooky Scott from Red Rocks Worship at the Worship Keys Podcast. Spooky share about life on the road, leading worship, and all the gear and tech that makes it happen. He dives into how he uses the Nord Stage 3 for sound design, how Red Rocks stays unified across campuses with tools like Resi, and what it really looks like to balance touring with serving at church. He also shares some behind-t...

Join Carson Bruce for a heart-to-heart with Jenna and Zoë, a talented worship duo from Nashville with a powerful story to tell. They open up about how they met in college, their journey into worship music, and what it’s been like to battle anxiety and stage fright while staying faithful to their calling. From songwriting to leading worship, they share genuine moments, honest struggles, and what tr...

Watch on YouTube Carson sits down with his childhood piano teacher, Tim Abel, for a heartfelt conversation full of music, memories, and ministry. They talk about the power of playing by ear, the journey from trombone major at JSU to worship leader, and the real stories behind leading worship. Tim shares practical tips for key players, from the basics to creative improvisation. Plus, Carson pays tr...

Watch on YouTube Welcome Natalie Layne, to The Worship Keys Podcast! Natalie opens up about life on the road, her early days in music, and how she went from indie artist to signing with Centricity Music. We talk about everything from her classical roots to her creative songwriting process. Natalie also shares about her journey on social media, the story behind her new album All Joy, and what it’s...

Watch on YouTube In this episode of The Worship Keys, Carson Bruce chats with Evan Fernald from The Belonging Co. about all things tracks in worship. Whether you're new to using tracks or looking to level up your setup, this conversation dives into the heart behind it all—how to keep worship spontaneous and structured. Evan breaks down his process for running tracks with flexibility, training...

Watch on YouTube Carson Bruce is joined by Evan Fernald, music director and keys player at The Belonging Co. In this episode, Evan opens up about his spiritual journey and gives an in-depth look at his worship keys setup from how he blends hardware and software to create seamless worship moments, to his personal approach to sound design, layering, and dynamic control. Whether you're a seasone...

Watch on YouTube In this episode, Carson Bruce sits down with special guest Alex Smith from Georgia to break down five must-know chord progressions every worship keys player should have in their toolkit. Recorded live at Foothills Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, this session is packed with practical tips for beginner and intermediate musicians from embellishments and inversions to building confide...

Watch on YouTube Join us in welcoming Micaiah Wesler to the Worship Keys YouTube channel as we dive into the world of auxiliary keys in worship music. In this episode, Micaiah shares how he first discovered aux keys back in 2012 at The Ramp and how years of learning and dedication helped him master the craft. We’ll cover the key differences between main keys and auxiliary keys, why auxiliary keys...

Watch on YouTube  Welcome Josh Brown, a renowned producer, songwriter, and musician. The discussion takes listeners through Josh's incredible musical journey, from starting out on drums to mastering the piano and creating multi-tracks for worship services. Josh shares insights on crafting stems from scratch in Logic Pro, emphasizing the importance of blending skill and anointing in church mus...

Watch on YouTube David O. Ramirez joins us once again for another episode of The Worship Keys! In this episode, David gives a detailed look into his song production process from pre-production and working with bands to post-production techniques. He breaks down his workflow using Logic Pro X templates and shares practical insights on editing, mixing, and adding organic texture to your recordings....

Watch on YouTube David Ramirez is back to take us inside his Logic Pro X template that streamlines workflow and elevates worship production. He breaks down his full process of song production, synth layering, key programming, and organizing sound palettes. You’ll see how he uses plugins like Arcade for micro loops, layers warm, organic piano textures, and dials in synth presets to shape a rich, ex...

Watch on YouTube Join us in welcoming David O. Ramirez to The Worship Keys YouTube channel for an inspiring conversation. David is a renowned keys player, producer, songwriter, and sound designer. In this episode, he shares his journey of playing with the band Leeland, his passion for sound design, and his experience touring around the world. David also breaks down the key differences between bein...

Watch on YouTube Let’s welcome Sam Garner—Sam the Beard Guy—for an inspiring and laid-back conversation about blending ambient lo-fi with instrumental worship. From touring with Shane & Shane to crafting his own unique sound, Sam shares how his journey as a seasoned keys player has shaped his music. You'll get behind-the-scenes stories, a look at his live performance setup, and how he bal...

Watch on YouTube Meet Louie Higuera on The Worship Keys Podcast! Louie shares his diverse journey from playing at church services to performing with Grammy-winning artists. He highlights essential skills like time management, knowing your tools, personality, and work ethic. He also offers valuable advice on balancing creativity with the business side of music. Louie also talks about the importance...

Watch on YouTube Welcome to the Worship Keys YouTube channel! In today's special episode, host Carson Bruce sits down with the incredible Marcus Wiles, an expert keys player and music director. Marcus shares his extensive experience from playing for renowned artists like Jordan Feliz and Kelsea Ballerini to producing and arranging in Nashville. They discuss essential music theory, gear setup,...

Watch on YouTube Ralph Lofton shares his journey from playing at Sunday school to collaborating with renowned artists such as Aretha Franklin and BeBe & CeCe Winans. He offers insights on mastering the Hammond B3 organ, emphasizes the importance of dynamics, and provides advice to aspiring musicians. Ralph also discusses his upcoming projects and shares personal stories about his musical influ...

Meet Virgil Straford — a Grammy and Dove-nominated producer with a deep-rooted legacy in gospel music. In this episode, Virgil takes us through his journey from Chicago to Nashville, sharing insights from his decades-long career and collaborations with icons like Yolanda Adams and CeCe Winans. He breaks down the craft of organ playing, the value of the Nashville number system, and what it means to...

We are excited to welcome Grammy, Dove, and Stellar Award-winning arranger, songwriter, artist, and worship leader Dwan Hill. The episode dives deep into the art of incorporating the Hammond B3 organ into modern worship music, specifically Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and Gospel, and sharing good tips on playing live vs in the studio. Dwan shares his musical journey and tips on playing the o...

In this episode, we welcome Curt Buell back! He covers five crucial techniques every Hammond B3 organist should know for playing in church settings. Topics include glissandos and slides, walking bass lines, inversions and voice leading, church walk-ups, and major/minor blues licks. Curt also shares a preview of his Organ Masterclass, where these techniques are explored in greater detail Curt Buell...

We welcome back Curt Buell to the podcast for an in-depth tutorial on the Hammond B3 organ. Curt provides an extensive overview of the organ's features, including its drawbars, vibrato settings, presets, and expression pedals. He demonstrates the dynamic range and the versatility of the B3, offering practical tips and favorite settings for various musical contexts, especially for church and c...

Watch on YouTube Welcome to Part 2 with Otto Gross, an exceptionally talented and creative pianist. Otto shares tips for improvisation, playing in different church settings, mastering scales, chords, rhythms, and more. Discover Otto's techniques on playing dominant chords, utilizing pentatonic scales, and integrating bluesy elements to enhance your keys playing. FREE eBook Support the show Th...

Watch on YouTube  Carson talks with Otto Gross II, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and worship director at a church in Nashville, TN. Otto shares his journey through scoliosis surgery, discovering his love for the piano, graduating from Berklee College of Music, and his time playing keys on the road with Eddie James Ministries. Otto also discusses his personal production ventures, including...

Watch on YouTube This is Part 2 with Tyler Wester from Church of the Highlands in Alabama. He shares his journey from MainStage to Ableton, breaks down his go-to piano sounds, and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his custom setup, gear, favorite plugins, his tracks rig, and more. They also dive into the creative process behind the Church of the Highlands’ Christmas program, why practice and mu...

Watch on YouTube Carson interviews Tyler Wester, the musical director of the multi-site Church of the Highlands in Alabama. Tyler shares his journey from learning piano as a child to being full time with Highlands for nearly a decade, offering valuable insight into the heart and logistics of his music ministry. Tyler breaks down the key differences between megachurch worship and smaller church set...